snookersan

Hi guys,

the yamaha gladiator was my portal through which i stepped into the world of biking. Even after a year of selling the bike i still have fond memories that are still fresh in my mind as if it were yesterday.

This article is a tribute to the bike which infused the Biking Spirit in me.

this was my first bike i got in august 2006 and man was i a happy man. All of 19 and in 1st year of college and i could boast to my friends about my bike and my adventures with it. After years of riding on borrowed bikes, i finally had my own steed.

I got the bike for 51 grand and i am sure you guys would agree what a bargain the Gladiator was. Just think guys back in 2006 a 97cc splendour cost 46 grand and this Gladiator was a 124 cc bike with 5 cogs, self start, front disc and 8 free services ,coupled with free accesories.

I thought my bike was the best deal in the market at that time and even now the new Gladiator is better than other 125's.

Anyways i did trips from chennai to bangalore, pondicherry, vijaywada, chengulpet, nellore, madurantakam, tambaram, irungattukotai, kavali, gumidipoondi etc.. i was planning to do a last trip to hyderabad before i sold it and so that trip has not been fulfilled yet.

i used to do a lot of touring in my glad and found it to be a very capable bike. The chassis could handle much bigger engines and the dynamics and suspension was superb.

The few grouses i faced with the bike was the soft seat and the lack of RPM indicator. Apart from this the bike served its purpose very well, it never broke down anywhere.

All i had was 6 punctures on the rear wheel and all of them were nails lying haphazardly on the highways. So guys the next time you are on the highways have an eye on the road and watchout for nails.

i used my gladiator for 2 years and it ran 23000 kms before i sold it to my korean friends for 31 grand. I loved my bike and i wanted to sell it to someone who would take good care of it. Sure enough my bike is still with my friend Kim Yung and has till now clocked 30,000 kms.

When ever i feel nostalgic i call up my friend Kim and take my old bike out for a spin for an hour or so. I got a new silver Karizma R in 2008 august and planning to get a ZX 14 in 2 years time when i move over to U.K.

No matter even if i own a SBK in the future i would always remember my FIRST LOVE.

signing off
Sudarshan

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Aryan

Topic Approved.

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outworldly maniac

congratulations

velociraptor13

U made me remember my first bike-a fiero.I really miss her.Never felt a bike better than the fiero

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Socha Toh Locha.

Thunder

Same here --- after reading this thread --- im thinking of my old Maxr.....
The days when i learned Biking in her.....the days when she falled on me.....Hurting me.....
The days she stopped without Fuel in between.....The days she went Punchered at the start of my Office.....

Yes Till now never felt a Bike as that of my old MAX.......

I miss u a lot....

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.......Just a Biker.......

snookersan

thanks Aryan for the speedy approval. great moderator

moeed

Good see your love for your first steed.